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Packer third, Hinojos consolation champion at Highway 10 Tournament

Wadena-Deer Creek's Madison Packer charges in and hits a forehand winner during the opening round of the Highway 10 Tournament in Wadena. Jason Groth/Pioneer Journal

The Wadena-Deer Creek girls tennis team returned to the courts with the annual Highway 10 Tournament at Staples and Wadena on Aug. 23. The Wolverines finished tied for seventh as a team with Little Falls, but had several successes in the individual portion of the tournament.

“(It was) another good day for Wadena-DC tennis on Wednesday. Madison Packer was a force at No. 2 singles,” Wadena-DC head coach Jordan Cresap said. “She is playing confidently, which is fun to watch.”

Packer led the way with the third place finish for the Wolverines. She finished with a 2-1 mark on the afternoon. She opened the event with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Rocori’s Megan Schroden in the opening round. She was defeated by Osakis Lauren Scherr in the semifinals in straight sets, 0-6, 4-6. Scherr went on to win the championship at No. 2 singles. Packer regrouped and made quick work of Detroit Lakes’ Brea Johnson for third place. She won the match in straight sets 6-3, 6-1.

Grace Hinojos won the consolation championship at No. 1 singles. She went 2-1 overall against a very strong field. Cresap stated she has been playing steady at the top spot. Hinojos went three sets with Rose Han in the opening round. However, it was Han who got the edge in three sets 6-4, 4-6, 7-10. Hinojos came back with a tough battle, defeating Perham/New York Mills’ Michelle Swyter in three sets. Hinojos dropped the first, but responded with a 6-3 and 10-7 win. She cruised in the consolation final with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Detroit Lakes’ Brina Smith to close out the day with two wins.

Jasmyn Wood, at No. 3 singles, and Libby Hartman, at No. 4 singles, suffered three defeats on the day in their individual tournaments.

Groth is a Minnesota Newspaper Association award-winning Sports Editor of the Perham Focus and the Wadena Pioneer Journal. Groth worked in Grand Rapids as the Sports Director at KOZY/KMFY radio for two years and prior to that he was the Sports Editor/Writer for the Grand Rapids Herald-Review for seven years.